Means for treating yarn



Feb. 8, 1938. E. F. JAMES ET AL MEANS FOR BREATIIK YARN Filed Sept. 7,1934 5 Sheets-Sheet l EDW/H F JA Me: L/IWEENCE E. REM/ck ,6) I v iGum/M43 E. F. JAMES ET AL F eb; 8, 1938.

MEANS FOR TREATING YARN Filed Sept. 7, 1934 3 sheets S'neet 2 fuwm FJAMES LAWKEHCE' E. REM/ck I Feb. 8, 1938. E F, JAMES ET AL 2,107,536

MEANS FOR TREATING YARN Filed Sept. 7, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 EDw/r/FJAMEs LAWRENCE E REM/cl:

awe/WM ag m Patented Feb. 8, 1938 MEANS FOR TREATING YARN Edwin F. Jamesand Lawrence E. Remick, Mount Holly, N. 0., assignors to Carolina Dyeingand Winding, Incorporated, Mount Holly, N. 0., a corporation ofMassachusetts Application September 7, 1934, Serial No. 743,108

1 Claim.

This invention relates to amethod and means of treating skeins of yarnwith a chemical to cause yarn to be affected in a different manner bycertain dye-stuffs than it would be affected were it not treated.

More specifically, the method and means relating to the spot treatmentof portions of skeins of yarn and leaving other portions untreated ortreated to a less degree so that when the skeins of yarn are dyed, orthe fabric containing the yarn is dyed, the dye will affect theuntreated or partially treated portions in one manner and affect thetreated portions in another manner, either completely dyeing some of theportions, staining some of the portions and leaving the other portion Bya longer treatment it is possible to bring the saponification of thetreated portions to a point which so completely changes the treatedportions to regenerated cellulose as to permit dyeing of untreatedportions with S R A and similar dyes, into distinct contrast to thedirect or cotton dyes used on the treated portions. It is evident thatthe longer the treatment of the fibers in the bath, the greater tendencythere is to weaken the yarn and a short period of treatment permits useof the process on the finest dernier whereas, the longer treatmentrestricts the operation somewhat to heavier dernier.

It is evident that the clamping or covering members can be made of anydesirable material, which will not be rapidly affected and will produceno detrimental reaction when they are immersed in a chemical bath alongwith the clamped or covered skeins of yarn. The pads can be either LUunaffected or afiected to a lesser degree by the dye. solid or resilientor semi-resilient and can be made The invention particularly relates tothe treatof hard rubber, resilient rubber, a suitable metal ment ofcellulose esters which is cellulose acetate or any desired composition.and the unclamped oruncovered portions of the It is evident that aresilient pad is preferable yarn are subjected to a bath whichsaponifies the where a complete shielding of the clamped or portionswhich are subjected to the bath and covered portions is necessary but arigid pad can changes the cellulose acetate to a regenerated be usedwhere it is desired that a certain amount cellulose so that, forexample, when the yarn, of leakage of the treating solution will occurbewhether in skein form or in manufactures theretween the clamps topartially treat the clamped of, is subjected to a dye bath for celluloseacetate, or covered portions as well as the unclamped or the celluloseacetate portions of the yarn will be ncovered p r i n r r the r s i ydyed whereas the regenerated portions will not of the pads can bedetermined by the specific rebe dyed or by the selection of a suitabledye, the sultant product which is desired. cellulose acetate portionswill be dyed to a cer- By the selection of the proper materials for thetain degree, either partial or complete, and the clamping or coveringmembers, it is possible to acregenerated cellulose portions will be dyedeither complish a treatment which varies from complete partially orcompletely or not dyed at all. shielding or covering of portions of theyarn down We have found that the skeins of yarn when to a partialsaponification of the protected secclamped in position in the apparatus,to be heretions of the yarn and a slightly greater saponifiinafterexplained, or suitably covered, is subjected cation of the sectionswhich are not held between I to a chemical bath at a temperature ofapproxithe clamping or covering portions of the clamping mately 100degrees centigrade, in the approximate or covering members. In view ofthis, it is evident portions 150 to one, that is the chemical bath thata felt pad or a very resilient pad would give containing approximatelythree grams of sodium a broken edge at the division point between thehydroxide or some similarly acting alkali to each clamped or coveredportions and the unclamped litre of water, that the portions of the yarnwhich or uncovered portions and therefore the material are exposed tothe bath are saponified and selected for making the clamping or coveringchanged into a regenerated cellulose within about members will bedetermined by the sharpness of two and one-half minutes, whereas theportions the division line desired between the treated and which arecompletely clamped or covered by the untreated portions of the yarn.

clamping or covering members are unaffected by It is an object of thisinvention to provide means the bath and retain the characteristics of acellufor clamping or covering portions of skeins of lose acetate. Ashorter period of treatment would yarn and immersing the complete skeinof yarn afiect the yarn less and cause the treated portions in asuitable bath of suitable chemicals so that l to be less receptive todyes than if the treatment the unclamped, uncovered or exposed portionof were for alonger period. the skein will be affected by the chemicalbath while the portions which are clamped or covered will be unafiectedby the chemical bath. It might be stated that the clamping or coveringcan be so adjusted, if desired, as to allow seepage of the H H mmm mchemical treating solution in any desired manner to portion of the yarnheld in clamped or covered relation, so as to vary the degree orintensity of the treatment.

It is another object of this invention to provide means for clamping orcovering a skein of yarn between a plurality of ciamping or coveringmembers and leaving portions of the yarn unclamped or uncoveredandhaving other portions of the yarn clamped or covered or shielded toprevent its being affected by a chemical "bath'or affected to a lesserdegree than the clamped, covered or shielded portions and then byimmersing the complete apparatus and skeins of yarn into the chemicalbath to treat the portions of yarn which are not clamped or covered orshielded to 7 cause them to be affected in a different manner when theentire skein is subjected to a dye bath. This skein can be subjected toa dye bath after treatment or can be woven or knitted or otherwisefabricated into suitable manufactures and the completed manufactures canbe subjected to a dye bath which will result in beautiful crossdyeingeffects and the pattern produced by the cross-dyeing effect can beregulated by the position of the clamping or covering members withrelation to each other and the amount of the yarn which is left in theunclamped or uncovered position and therefore affected by the chemicalbath.

It is a further object of this invention to saponify portions of yarnmade of or containing esters of cellulose and leaving other portions ofthe yarn affected to a less degree than the portions which aresaponified.

A further object of this invention is to partially saponify portions ofyarn made of or containing esters of cellulose such as cellulose acetatein such a manner that.diiferent portions of the yarn will possessdifferent dyeing properties.

A further object of this invention is to saponify portions of yarnmadeof organic esters of cellulose so that this yarn can be used for themanufacture of fabrics and articles such as hose, articles of wearingapparei, and the like, which present a cross-dyed effect fromsuch'treated yarns whether the yarn is dyed before beingrnanufacturedinto the fabrics or articles or whether it is dyed after it ismanufactured into the fabrics or articles.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated; other objectswili appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in 'which:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of an apparatus suitable for practicingour method;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the upper portion of theapparatus taken immediately behind the two side posts shown in Figure ,1and showing the apparatus before the pads are moved to clamping orcovering position;

Figure 3 is an enlargeddetail View of-a portion of the clamping orcovering means shown in Figure 2; w

Figure 4 is an isometric view of the bottom pad of a plurality of setsofpads used for'clamping. covering or shielding the skeins of yarn;

Figure 5 is an inverted isometric view'of the top pad for fitting downon the bottom pad shown in Figure 4 for clamping and shielding theskeins of yarn;

Figure Gris an isometric view of another type of bottom pad;

Figure '7 is an inverted isometric view of another type oftoppad adaptedto fit-on the pad shown in Figure 6';

Figure 3 'is a view similar toFigure B'but showing the pads shown inFigures 6 and '7 in operative position with the skeins of yarn'therebetween;

Figure 9 is "an isometric view of another type of pad, the top pad beingidentical to the bottom pad in this form;

Figure 10 is a longitudinal sectional View through a pair of pads madeaccording to Figure 9 and showing a portion of a skein of yarn inclamped position;

Figure 11 is a transverse sectional view through the upper portion ofthe apparatus showing the clamped or covered portion of the yarn.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, Ill and 1! indicate a pairof angle iron uprights forming one end of theapparatus and I2 and i3indicate the uprights for the other end. These uprights are joined bymeans of a bottom angle member M. The uprights Ill and i2 and H and -13respectively are joined by an angle member I5. At the top end of theangle members l-U and II a transverse angle member I8 is secured, and atthe top portion of posts i2 and I3 there is secured therebetween anglemember l1, All of these parts are secured together preferably by weldingto make a rigid framework.

Into this framework a plurality of pairs of pads or clamping or coveringmembers are adapted to be placed with the proximate faces of theclamping members having raised portions thereon, which raised portionsserve to clamp, cover or shield portions of a skein of yarn disposedtherebetween. In Figure 1 these pairs of clamping covering or shieldingmembers are indicated by reference characters l8 and i9- and the raisedportions thereon are indicated by Ziland 2i respectively. Each of theuprights Hl, H, !2, and 7 l3 has asuitable ear 22 thereonbeneath which asuitable hook can be secured for immersing the mechanism inthe treatingbath as will hereinafter be explained. 7

After the apparatus ispacked'with the skeins of yarn between the pairsof pads, a suitable rigid member, such asa board 23; is placed on top ofthe uppermost pad and a pair of members 24 and 25 are placed on topiofthis board 23.: and, p

then a pair of levers 26. and 21 are placed in the position shown inFigure 2, that is, usually one lever on each side oi the apparatus toexert downward pressure on the members 24 and25 to move the board 23downwardly tov press the clamping members toward each other to clamp theyarn.

When the board 23 andthe members 2 3 and 25 a1'e moved downwardly farenough by pressure on levers 26 and 21; a rigid member, such asa pieceof metal 28 of sufficient'strength, is placed beneath members it and Hto hold the pads orit is;

l, a pad i9 is laid in the bottom of'the apparatus. and in the form ofthe pad shown in Figurel'gthe portions 21 have aicavity Zfl'aw therein,and a. skein of yarn is laid, preferably in spread out position, on topof the member lflshownin Fig-- ure 4; and then the top; ciamping member:shown- F in Figure 5 is inverted from the posi-tion shownin Figure andis laidion: top of a the member? l9 and then additional sets of members:i9:andz 20 are placed one above the otheras shown in Fig&

ure 'l'w-itha skein of yarn- -therebetween until the desired number ofsets of clamping members and skeins of yarns have been placed therein.

It is evident that the amount of pressure under which the clampedportions of the yarn are held may be varied also by varying the numberof sets of members [8 and I9 which are placed in the apparatus as wellas by selection of the thickness of blocks 24 and 25.

In Figures 6 and 7 a difierent form of clamping members is shown inwhich the bottom member 38 has a plurality of difierently shaped raisedportions 3! and 32, the raised portion 3| being broader than the raisedportion 32 and each of these members has cavities 3m and 32a therein. Ifdesired, a much broader portion 33 with the cavity 33a. therein, may beprovided, and, of course, a top member 34 is provided having raisedportions 361) and 32b and 33b thereon made of a size to conform to theraised portions on member 38 with which they are to coincide and ofcourse a skein of yarn will be disposed between members 3d and 34. Thesecavities cause a gripping effect between the clamping members on accountof a partial vacuum being created therein.

In Figure 9 a slightly difierent form of the clamping member is shownindicated by reference character 35 having raised portions 36 spacedapart from each other thereon, and in this form the top and bottommembers, between which the skein of yarn is placed, are identical toeach other as shown in Figure 10, a skein of yarn in all figures beingindicated by reference character 37. It should be noticed that the typesof pads shown in Figures 4 to '7 inclusive, are the vacuum type, thatis, the recesses 2m, Sla, 32a, and 33a contain the portions of yarnwhich are not subjected to the treatment. When the apparatus isimmersed, the air in the recesses expands and tends to prevent thetreating solution from contacting the portion of yarn in these recesses.

The various forms of the clamping members or pads are shown toillustrate that these clamping members may be arranged in any desiredmanner to produce any desired treatment of the skeins or" yarn, that is,by leaving exposed any desired length of the skeins so that variouscrossdyeing effects can be obtained when these treated skeins are latersubjected to a dye bath.

When the apparatus is packed full of clamping members and skeins of yarnas shown in Figure l, the preferred form of treatment is to immerse theentire apparatus in a treating solution and this is usually done byinserting hooks attached to suitable ears 22 or beneath members I5 andi! and lowering the apparatus into the treating bath. When the apparatusas shown in Figure 1, is entirely immersed within the bath for a desiredlength of time it is removed and rinsed in luke-warm water and unpackedand the skeins of yarn are removed therefrom and another set of skeinsof yarn are placed in the apparatus and rinsed in water which isslightly acidified by any suitable acid, such as acetic acid, and thenrinsed in plain water.

The apparatus full of skeins is again ready for lowering into thetreating bath. This type of treatment treats all portions of the exposedportions of the skeins in the same manner but if desired the apparatusmay be handled in a differ ent manner, that is, by causing hooks toengage beneath the straps 22 at one end of the apparatus, and a portionof the apparatus may be lowered into the treating bath for a givenlength of time and then the remaining portion may be immersed and ofcourse this will give a different degree of saponification to thatportion which was first immersed into the treating bath.

If desired only a portion of the apparatus, that is one end of theapparatus as shown in Figure 1, may be lowered into the treating bathand the other portion not subjected to the treating bath at all whichgives still a diiferent effect, or if desired, one end of the apparatuscan be lowered into the treating bath and can be removed therefrom andthe hooks engaged in the other end of the apparatus with the other endlowered into the bath a short distance, to treat both ends of the skeinand not treat the center portion, or if desired, both ends of the skeincan be treated as above described, and then the entire apparatus can belowered completely into the bath to submerge all portions of the skeinwhich will cause the end portions of the skein to be treated a greaterdegree by the treating fluid than the central portion thereof. The aboveexamples are given to show the various forms in which the apparatus maybe used to produce a desired degree of saponification to the desiredportions of the skeins of yarn to produce the desired cross-dyeingeffect when the yarn is later subjected to the dyeing operation, eitherin the skein form or in the fabric from which the manufactured articleis made from the yarn in an undyed form.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferredembodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not forpurposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth inthe appended claim.

We claim:

Means for holding skeins of yarn for treatment in a treating bathcomprising an elongated flat member which is longer and broader than askein of yarn, an endless projection on one side of the flat memberforming an enclosure, a second member of approximately the same size asthe first member and adapted to lie on top of the first member after askein of yarn has been spread on top of the first member and means forpressing the two members together to shield the portions of yarndisposed within said enclosure from the eifects of a treating bath whenthe members and the yarn are immersed in a treating bath.

EDWIN F. JAMES. v LAWRENCE E. REM'ICK.

